How we collect, use, store and protect your personal and health information.
South by Southwest Specialists operates a specialist medical centre at Suite 20, 13 Digitaria Drive, Gledswood Hills NSW 2557. This Privacy Policy explains how we handle personal information, including health information, in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs).
Health information is a sensitive category of personal information under the Privacy Act and is accorded a higher level of protection. We take our obligations seriously and are committed to handling all personal information with care.
We may collect and hold the following types of information:
Patient and referral information — When a GP or other practitioner submits a referral to us (by email or via HealthLink EDI), we receive personal and clinical information about the patient. This may include name, date of birth, contact details, Medicare number, and clinical history relevant to the referral.
General enquiry information — When you contact us by email or phone with a general enquiry, we may collect your name, contact details, and the content of your communication.
Practitioner information — When medical practitioners or allied health professionals enquire about consulting room arrangements, we collect their name, contact details, specialty, and relevant professional information.
We do not currently use cookies, website analytics tools, or any form of automated tracking on this website. No personal information is collected through this website automatically.
We collect information directly from individuals or from their authorised representatives (such as a referring GP). Information may be received by email, phone, or via HealthLink EDI (a secure clinical messaging platform used by health practitioners).
We collect health information only where it is necessary for the provision of health services or directly related functions.
We collect personal and health information for the following purposes:
We will not use or disclose personal information for a purpose other than the primary purpose for which it was collected, except where permitted or required by law, or where you have provided your consent.
We take reasonable steps to protect personal information from misuse, interference, loss, unauthorised access, modification, or disclosure. Referral and patient information is handled in accordance with the security standards of our practice management systems and clinical communication platforms.
Email communications sent to us are stored on secure mail servers. We encourage practitioners to use HealthLink EDI where possible for the secure transmission of clinical information.
We retain information for as long as required by applicable law and professional obligations, and destroy or de-identify information when it is no longer needed.
Information collected in connection with a patient referral will be shared with the relevant specialist(s) at South by Southwest Specialists for the purpose of providing health services. This is the primary purpose for which the information is collected and does not require separate consent.
We do not sell, rent, or trade personal information. We do not share personal information with third parties for marketing purposes.
We may disclose personal information where required or authorised by law — for example, in response to a subpoena, court order, or regulatory requirement.
Under the Privacy Act, you have the right to request access to personal information we hold about you, and to request correction of information that is inaccurate, out-of-date, incomplete, or misleading. To make such a request, please contact us using the details below. We will respond within a reasonable timeframe and in accordance with our legal obligations.
In some circumstances we may decline an access or correction request — for example, where providing access would be unlawful or unreasonably affect the privacy of another individual. If we decline your request, we will explain our reasons in writing.
If you have a concern about how we have handled your personal information, we encourage you to contact us directly in the first instance. We will investigate your complaint and aim to respond within 30 days.
If you are not satisfied with our response, you may lodge a complaint with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC):
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or applicable law. The current version will always be available on this page. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.
For privacy-related enquiries, requests, or complaints, please contact us:
Suite 20, 13 Digitaria Drive
Gledswood Hills NSW 2557